Childish Gambino gave fans the video for “Sweatpants” (and “Urn”) yesterday, and then he gave them a Twitter rant that he wants out of his record contract with Glassnote Records, asking for someone to buy it out.

The artist legally known as Donald Glover hit the web yesterday afternoon to voice his concerns over the video’s treatment in a series of tweets you can read below. Gambino was vague, simply alluding to long-standing souring relations that appear to have only worsened with how Glassnotes released the “Sweatpants” visual.

He welcomed all comers label-wise, including heavyweights Def Jam and Atlantic, and gave more significance to those grumpy faces he sported in “Sweatpants.” Billboard also notes that the artist wasn’t pleased with the label when “Sweatpants” was allowed to leak in November of last year.

Because The Internet, Gambino’s sophomore album that features “Sweatpants,” is his second record with the record company. His debut album with the label, Camp, came out in November 2011, two months after he signed his contract.

Join The Discussion

Is it me or does this dude just seem so spoiled… and (no pun intended) childish. You pretty much finagled your way out of a contract with NBC to become a rapper, then when it didn’t go the way he anticipated he’s unhappy trying to do the same thing. It’s a record contract and he signed it. If either party doesn’t live up to the terms consult a lawyer and sue for damages… Meanwhile if your the artist you claim you are just keep making music fuck all the other shit.

I’m a fan of his music–full disclosure–but I’m with you @Hacksaw Jim Thugan if there are specified aspects of the contract not being fulfilled, why not slap ‘em up in the court of law instead of this Twitter rant stuff? #KanyeShrug

I can easily see a higher up at the label just saying “fuck it! Just put the damn video out! No blog, no password protection, no secret site, no screenplay, no nothing. Just get the damn thing out there.”

exactly im sure there are 2 sides to the story…..lol. alot of times in this game….its jus as much the artists fault. we dont ever here this cuz rappers have the voice and thats wat fans an media think but alot of times its the artists bs shit. who knows but boo fucking hoo. i like some of his music tho

I see a lot of tough talk, but how many here have really dealt with label shit before? And with the mind state of an artist? I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. However, I do have to point out, it’s 2014.
If you can’t see it in the contract, I wouldn’t expect much follow through. Contract is everything.

Not one for tough talk, just an opinion. A contract is a legal biding agreement between two entities if said contract is not fulfilled why doesn’t he just sue rather than trashing the label on twitter? He clearly has the resources at his disposal since he has proved he can get off NBC to appear on other projects…

Well with zero idea what the fine print of his contract says (not including the fact that the label has, and I’m just guessing here, far more lawyer on retainer than CG could ever get), it’s hard to say whether or not he can take legal action.

@Aaron Smarter – “And with the mind state of an artist?”
I think that’s where you lose the people, most people can’t relate. I think most people think artists are coddled and should just deal with it. Though I think talents should be nurtured its hard to listen to someone complain after they convinced an entity to fund their dreams (more or less). Most people don’t have enough empathy to see how ‘Binos problems are that serious.

And for @Hacksaw Jim Thugan who said sue your label, ask yourself what is ‘Bino complaining about? It wasn’t handled right? Didn’t get the look you were looking for? A contract will only guarantee that the look is attempted, as in they put out a video. Contracts don’t guarantee success, money or (sometimes) results, you can’t sue your label because all their efforts were awful. Unless he was promised a dollar value for this video and they didn’t come through with the budget, everything else is subjective.

Labels make promises to sell you into signing, but those promises are (usually) never in the writing of the contract. #toughbreaknigga

I’m just gonna throw this out there. EVERYBODY complains about their job on social media. Everybody. Just because you’re in the public eye doesn’t mean you can’t be annoyed with your work sometimes. That’s why the “suck it up” comments crack me up so much… Because I know those niggas definitely find time to complain about something whether online or IRL.

I just can’t feel sorry for an artist who signs to a label, then complains about label politrix. At this points who needs a label in 2014?? An artist on his level doesn’t really need a label. Maybe im just ignorant to the music business….

I understand things may not be being handled quite the way he would like them too. But, for what it’s worth, the video is being received extremely well. I love it, it made me like the song & the album all over again.

i gotta say there were a few small changes gradually implemented to TSS that i was not in favor of after uproxx merger. the cooler used to be all random links from all over the web now they are mostly all uproxx links. i understand one hand washed the other but i dont really fuck with the rest of uproxx like that. a lil bit but not much.

night cap was never that big of a deal to me in guessing uproxx put a stop to that too or models started bitching. i mean whos that thirsty that they need to see the same pretend bitch twice in a night and i mean your already online. there be porn in them there hills lol

The Nightcap was a neat little addition when I came back from my sabbatical of rap (during which time I only listened to my absolute favorites…and missed apparently absolutely nothing), but I wasn’t all that shook by it leaving. I mean you can only stare at pics for so long before you have to either call up a chick or hit up the hub or redtube or something.

I wouldn’t say Uproxx put the end to that tho. I feel like it just got to be a pain to collect all them pics to put up at the end of the day, every day, 365. That time could be better spent doing something else.

personally i’m glad they got with uproxx i dont know if i wouldve found TSS otherwise. i used to frequent realtalkny and when they merged with uproxx, i discovered TSS and never looked back. i hear you tho, now that i’m here i aint goin nowhere.

I was contacted. And there is too much for me to get into right now but I will say this – it is unacceptable to be in his position, sign a contract, and then be unhappy with what occurred. He has to place the blame on the man in the mirror. This is not some kid, impoverished in the projects or ghetto, that signed a contract believing it was his only chance/only way out.

That is my take. Gambino can rant on Twitter if he reads this too… he knows it is the truth.

And if you want out of the contract… when and if I do get back to Donald… my only advice will be to buy him out of it on his own. He has the money – whether he feels as if another label should take on that debt or not. Not many artists buy out their contracts when unhappy, but some have (and have paid millions to not go through the stress of it all). And if you are that unhappy… and you signed the agreement… make it simple and withdrawal the money from your own bank account. Do not place that on the books of another label.

I see where you coming from TRA, but at the same time isn’t he in a way different position now than he was two years ago when he signed that? BTI was a much larger thing than Camp could have hoped to be. Is it really a “you fucked up signing this” thing, because to me (I obviously have zero facts tho) it sounds like a “this is as far as I can go with these folks” deal.

@Sage Donald was solidified in the television industry by 2011 (very well solidified). His accolades, awards and accomplishments already had him in a position of power.

I like C.G. and Donald Glover. I enjoy his music (have for quite a while) and believe his mind is very creative (which is why, at such a “relatively” young age, he was writing for hit shows – that does not often happen). I am not certain how much I should speak on the subject… but he was taking too long with “Sweatpants” due to the fact that he wanted to execute it in a specific way. I mean, you do not take as long as he did to put it out (I could not believe how long he was taking. TV works on that schedule but not music) – so the label got tired of waiting.

It is a case of someone not understanding exactly how the music industry works (if you can believe that of someone in his position). This is a television and film guy transitioning to music. As close as they seem, they are very much different. It bothers me when artists in his position sign to a label, and then when something does not go the way they desired, they complain. While I am one to believe (and know) that artists still need labels… more importantly, they need the right label… and situation. You address all of what you plan for your future releases with possible labels – if they are in agreement, sign – if they do not seem to be committed, decline. If it is not in the contract, do not sign your name because they are not going to adhere to what was assumed by you.

It is as simple as that.

And when you have the money, I only see it as laziness to go to a label such as Glassnote because you can hire the EXACT team of people that are going to work your project(s). The real issue here is an individual who wishes to do different things all at once – television/film/writing… and music. So let me tell you what his thought process was, “I can fund my musical endeavor on my own… but I really don’t have the time because I want to create new television projects, too. So, I’ll sign to a label and let them handle my music.”

That is where the problem arose.

As you know, the label is under no obligation to release anything in a specific way. They do not even have to release anything – unless there is a clause in the contract (there usually is not one). I know how long ago “Sweatpants” was completed – the label is looking at selling records. Sometimes (rarely) projects are slow burners and end up selling millions. Other times (and most often) they have a schedule you stick to because you only have so much time to push units after a project stops selling completely. Attention spans only last so long and the majority wants what is new in music – they do not want a project that takes a half a year to release its second single.

I do not know what Glassnote has done for Donald that he could not have done, on his own (and exactly the way he wanted to do it). His “personal” team of friends should shoulder equal blame as well. You do not place your art into folks hands simply because they are a part of your crew. Everyone these days has someone in his or her collective that is a “Photographer” a “Stylist” a “Creative Director” a “Visual Director” “Marketing Strategist” “A&R” “Project Coordinator” and on and on and on. It is ridiculous. In reality, they are friends with glorified titles who usually are far from the best in their field or someone you could hire to do the job right.

Now if he hired people that did those things for a living and got results (and were not just who they are or known by name because of their association to him, alone)… he would not have this problem. Hire people with not only experience, but also success. It is cool to want to give your friends’ titles, but look at the results. And can they list any other significant credits beyond their work with you?

If they cannot, it probably is a better idea to go with someone who has done it before and has a solid track record.

I have no problem with him venting his frustrations. However, he has to accept the blame for the situation. Hopefully, he will eventually calm down, realize this, and learn from it.

@The Real Anonymous: See, that’s why I’ve always respected your posts here on TSS. Placing that in a different perspective like that makes me see things a bit clearer.

I agree that if he needed things done a specific way then a team of professionals was most likely what he should’ve found, but then I guess it’s apart of us in the black community that when you find your way out the hole you help those around you so they don’t have to struggle like you did. I’m not saying that’s the BEST way to do things, but loyalty is a powerful thing and it’s a trait that most people admire so often people (in general, not even just artists) push to have it even when it’s to their detriment.

So is that what’s taking Donald so long getting his FX series off the ground? A desire to have things done in a very specific way? Or is it just something that’s typical of TV like you said?

Childish Gambino hate is something serious dude, lol. It don’t even really make sense, either. Dude’s probably my favorite artist right now but I have to be careful where I wave that flag or I have people insulting my tastes and everything.

i would predict that the next person to complain about their label will probably be Ab-Soul, Stalley.

its rapper 101, have a vision, sign a contract that does not include that vision, accept the promises to follow your vision by execs with one hand behind their backs with fingers crossed, then rant on twitter, rinse and repeat.

can we have a ask @TRA some questions posts?
from reading all of this, for some reason i just wondered about mos def and qtip signing to good music and nothing happens. same with busta rhymes with young money. why do vets do this, for a quick lump sum check or something? wheres the music? are the fans the only ones who arent in on this?